


Let me be your star

by MidgardianNerd



Series: Learn to love: Teacher Verse [3]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Dorks in Love, Fluff and Angst, Luke is a huge jerk, M/M, teacher verse, their students ship them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-06-08 01:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15232245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidgardianNerd/pseuds/MidgardianNerd
Summary: Poe brings his students to a science conference and things don't go as planned. For none of them.





	Let me be your star

**Author's Note:**

  * For [idrilhadhafang](https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Reciprocate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14815031) by [idrilhadhafang](https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang). 



> To my dear Idril. Since we both were pretty fed up with this fandom today, we found refuge in the Darkpilot world and that's my gift for her.

Poe’s whole body was thrilling with excitement, his mind barely able to truly understand that he would meet one of his childhood idols. When Poe saw that Luke Skywalker, the famous Luke Skywalker would give a free conference about his career and studies, Poe couldn’t believe how lucky he was. It was finally the opportunity to meet the man who made him discover science and who made him choose this career. Watching all his interviews to TV, Poe remembered the passion with which he was talking and nine-years-old little Poe decided that he wanted to make others feeling as much passionate as him about science. Now, twenty-three years later, he would finally able to meet Luke Skywalker and to tell him how much he owed to him. 

Poe could feel the whole excitement coming from his students behind him. Well, he wasn’t desillusional. He knew that their excitement was due to the fact they were missing classes more than for the real purpose of their school trip but nevertheless Poe was happy to share this moment with them, hoping that Luke Skywalker’s magic would make its effect on them like it did on him. At least, the kids were happy to meet a celebrity, even if it was someone they never heard about before he talked about him to them. 

Actually, the only person not looking excited by this whole excursion was his boyfriend. When Poe asked him to come with them as the second professor needed for the trip, Ben refused and when Poe tried to know more about it, the young man closed on himself and their evening finished in an awful argument. Poe didn’t know where he did wrong and he spent the night, sleepless night, to wonder what happened. The next morning, Ben entered in his classroom, asked for forgiveness and accepted to go with him to this conference. Poe rewarded him with a kiss but the reason of their argument wasn’t yet explained and Poe didn’t push, not wanting to make Ben feeling uncomfortable anymore. And he didn’t like to see Ben angry. There was something so self-destroying in his eyes in these moments, something which made Poe’s spine freezing in cold. 

So Ben accepted to come with him and he was sitting just here, next to Poe. But the young teacher could feel how far away his boyfriend was, his eyes lost in the void through the window. Poe felt a little bit disappointed that Ben wasn’t enjoying this trip as much as him but he also felt that his lover made a huge sacrifice for Poe’s own sake, even if he didn’t know what this sacrifice was. 

 

“Thank you to do this for me.” whispered Poe, taking Ben’s hand in his and the young man looked away from the window, slightly puzzled before smiling softly. 

“You don’t have to thank me Poe.” answered Ben, his thumb stroking Poe’s knuckles. 

“Something is bothering you and-” began Poe but Ben pressed his hand in his.

“Today isn’t about me.” answered Ben and Poe understood that the conversation on this sensitive subject was over. 

 

Poe nodded slightly, trying to give comfort to Ben without knowing what was upsetting him so much. 

 

“Are you exciting to meet your hero?” asked Ben, his smile not reaching his eyes.

“Yes.” answered Poe, trying to not sound too much excited, feeling bad to spread his joy when Ben wasn’t obviously in the same mood. 

“Tell me!” ordered gently Ben, pushing softly his elbow in Poe’s flank. “I like seeing you talking about science.” he added. “You’re very sexy when you do it.” said the young man, offering a flirting wink to his boyfriend and Poe felt his cheeks burning, slightly embarrassed due to the kind of public they hand but also immensely pleased like every time he was the center of Ben’s attention. 

 

Poe tried to keep his excitement down, but in the next ten minutes, he was rambling again about Luke Skywalker and how thrilled he was the first time he heard about chemistry. 

 

* * *

 

Poe was shifting in his seat, like a bloody teenager at his first date, nervous and thrilled in the same time. When Luke Skywalker appeared on stage, Poe applauded loudly like all the other fans of the man, sit lower in the amphitheater, closer to him and Poe felt slightly jealous for a second before remembering he wasn’t there on his own but with his students and it was before everything else an opportunity for them to learn with the best scientists in their country. Poe listened almost religiously to all the words coming from his hero’s mouth during the hour and half he talked about his theories and career, Poe being oblivious to everything around him, just being in a kind of communion with this man he admired for so many years. 

When was finally coming the time for the questions from the audience, Poe didn’t wait to rise up his hand and he could heard chuckles from his students, amused to see their professor, so relaxed usually, being nervous when he was finally chosen to ask his question. Poe blinked when the harsh light came on him before he got up, grabbing the microphone which was giving to him. It was the biggest moment of his life. Years of hard work, dreams and hours spending thinking too much finally meeting their match. Poe was ready. 

 

* * *

 

Ben was tensed in his own seat, trying to stay away from the light shining on his boyfriend. He didn’t want to be here, he shouldn’t have been here and seriously, if he wasn’t loving Poe so much, he would have stay home. But like his father prevented him, Solo men were fools when they were in love, forgetting their own safety for the happiness of their beloved. His father would probably have tried to slap some sense in his head if he knew where Ben was right now. Before laughing his ass off, realizing that in the whole universe, Ben had to fall in love with the ultimate fanboy of this uncle he couldn’t stand. Surely a cosmic joke! 

When he saw his uncle walking on this stage, definitely older than in Ben’s memory, he felt a pang of sadness around his heart. Then, his mind remembered him that there was a reason for him to not talk to his uncle anymore. Ben wore the blame for so long that he needed some time to remember that he wasn’t the sole fault in all this mess. So he was ready to stay in the shadows, letting Poe enjoying a little more this moment of pure bliss for him, finally meeting someone he adored. Maybe one day, Ben would tell him the whole story. Maybe Poe wouldn’t believe him. Maybe Ben would break his heart in the process. Ben didn’t know. But he was determined for this to not happen today. Poe would ask his question, have his answer and they would leave together, with their students, with Luke acknowledging his nephew’s presence. It was just a matter of time. 

Poe asked his question, Ben didn’t even heard it. But he recognized immediately the expression on his uncle’s face. This mix between frustration, disdain and this whole ability to make you feel like you were the biggest idiot on this planet. And it was too late for him to protect Poe from what he lived years ago. 

Ben felt the anger, the familiar anger when it was about his family spreading in his whole body, warming his veins and cooling his heart. His ears were buzzing, barely letting him the possibility to hear his uncle humiliating in public Poe. Before Ben could intervene, Poe was back into his seat while the whole room was laughing, charmed by the jerk behavior of the famous Luke Skywalker. 

 

* * *

 

Poe wanted to cry. He could feel the anger emanating from Ben’s body and the whole wave of indignation coming from his own students but the only thing he could understand waw how a fool of himself he did front of Luke Skywalker and how mortified he was to have think being able to debate with him about such big theory. Poe wasn’t a scientist. Not a brilliant mind like Luke Skywalker. He was just a science teacher. Nothing more. 

Poe whipped off the tears from his cheeks, offering a weak smile to the young girl next to him, asking him if he was okay. What a mess he was! His students wouldn’t respect him anymore after this trip and his demonstration of being a failure, disavowed by the most eminent authority in his field of study. 

Poe shrank when the light came front of him, enlightening the person sit before him and the young man tried to hide in the flank on his boyfriend. But then Ben was up, his whole body shaking with anger while he leaned towards the man front of Poe, grabbing the microphone roughly and the light was soon engulfing Ben. 

Poe looked up, frozen. The last thing they needed was for Ben to lose his temper and not for something Poe was probably deserving. He didn’t want Ben to be angry for nothing. Ben’s jaws were clenched with tension, his knuckles turning white while he was grabbing the microphone, his chest going up and down fast when he was trying to relax his breath. 

 

* * *

 

Ben could feel his uncle’s piercing blue eyes on him, finally realizing who he was. Something in Ben wanted to flee but Ben fought it. He wasn’t a little boy anymore. He made a choice ten years ago and it was time to stand for it. He was a man who was making his own choices. A man who would not tolerate anymore this kind of behavior. A man who would not let his lover being humiliated like that. Damn if it made him looking like one of these bloody knights in these boring fairytales. He was ready to endure the silly comparison. 

 

“Ben!” whispered in disbelief Luke but with his microphone, the whole room could hear the surprise in the old man voice. “What are you doing here?”

“Noting how much you didn’t change in the last ten years.” answered Ben angrily, feeling the eyes of everybody on him, Poe’s eyes the most piercing ones. “Still an arsehole!” added Ben, letting the sass he inherited from his father taking the control. 

 

He heard the hitchy breaths of Poe and the students and the outaged gasps of the audience but he didn’t care. It was time for someone to explain to Luke Skywalker that he wasn’t a god walking among poor mortals. 

 

“Don’t talk to me like that, young man!” grumbled Luke, his patronizing tone hitting Ben hard, making his anger growing even more in his chest. 

“I’m not here like your nephew!” spitted out Ben. “I’m here as a teacher.” he added, defiantly rising up his chin, proud of who he was. 

“And what a literature teacher does here?” asked Luke, scornful. 

 

Ben breathed in and out few times, not letting to Luke the pleasure to see how triggering his words still could be with him. It wasn’t about him. It was about Poe. Poe didn’t need to be dragged in this whole mess that was Ben’s family life. 

 

“I’m with my colleague who you just humiliated when the only thing he wanted was to share his passion for science with our students.” groaned Ben.

“Well! Maybe he should have asked a better question.” answered Luke and Ben lost it.

“People thinking differently that you are valid.” half-screamed Ben before toning down his voice. 

 

It left a loud silence in the room, nobody wanting to interfere in their exchange and Ben was determined to have the last word. 

 

“Poe isn’t maybe as brilliant as you. But he is passionate about what he shares with his students. And they love him for that.” said Ben, his lips shaking because he didn’t expect himself to do the praise of Poe front of a crowd. Damn he wasn’t even planning to do it front of Poe, alone in their bedroom. But it looked like his brain decided he would do it. “He is respectful. And kind.” he added, looking down for a second to Poe. 

 

Poe’s eyes were still full of tears but there was something in them which was pressing Ben to continue. 

 

“And humble.” breathed out Ben, looking back to Luke and feeling the anger coming back as sudden as it disappeared when he looked at Poe. Luke had this power in him, bringing the worst in him to the surface. “Things you weren’t anymore for a long time.” added codly Ben. 

 

He saw Luke shaking with anger, ready to fight back. 

 

“Stay with your precious fanboys who think you’re a God!” spitted out Ben, throwing a disgusted look to the bunch of men sit at the first ranks. “They will never realize how awful you can be.At least, Poe isn’t one of them anymore.” added Ben before giving back the microphone to the moderator next to him. 

 

Then, he made a sign to their students to get up. None of them protested and they left the amphitheater quickly, obviously relieved. Ben took Poe’s hand and dragged him outside with any look for his uncle. 

 

* * *

 

Ben was checking their students climbing back in the bus while Poe was still silent next to him, his eyes piercing through Ben’s face and the young man was doing his best to ignore it. Finally, when all the kids were in, Ben turned to face Poe, asking him to get in when Poe grabbed his elbow and dragged him few meters away from the bus. 

When he finally released him, Ben crossed his arms on his chest, needing to feel a shield between Poe and he, knowing that Poe would want answers. 

 

“Luke Skywalker is your uncle.” stated Poe, like he couldn’t yet believe it. 

“Yes.” answered Ben, quickly fed up that he got again this conversation with someone, like his whole life was gravitating around Luke at its center. That wasn’t definitely how he wanted his life to be. 

 

* * *

 

Poe had a million of questions but the look on Ben’s face what telling him that it wasn’t the good moment to ask them. And his brain was obscured by his heart beating in his chest, screaming at every pulse that Ben got up front of a full audience to defend him. Even the fact that Poe got humiliated by someone he admired so much all these years couldn’t beat that. He knew that he would feel awful later but he knew that Ben would be here for him when it will happen. Like he was there today. Even when he had a good reason to not be. 

 

“You shouldn’t have come.” whispered Poe, looking down, feeling horrible to have forced Ben in this situation.

“You asked me to come.” answered Ben immediately.

“Yes!” screamed Poe. “But...I didn’t know.” he added, feeling ashamed. 

“You couldn’t have known.” answered Ben, softly, his hand resting on Poe’s shoulder. 

“I knew something was bothering you and I still insisted and-” rambled Poe but Ben cut him with an hand on his lips. 

“I chose to come Poe.” said Ben, his other sliding on Poe’s neck. “I made this choice by myself.” he added. 

“But...why?” asked Poe, lost.

“Because I refuse to have this man taking the control of my life.” answered Ben, his deep brown eyes striking Poe with the fire burning in it. “Not anymore.” he whispered, tired. 

  
  


Poe didn’t think twice. He put his arms around Ben’s shoulders, cuddling into his chest and burying his nose in his neck. Instantly, Ben pressed him harder into his arms. 

 

“I’m sorry.” mumbled Poe against Ben’s neck.

“Don’t!” whispered back Ben. “You did nothing wrong.” he added, pressing a light kiss again Poe’s temple. 

“Thank you! For everything.” said Poe, the tips of his fingers playing with Ben’s hair on his neck. 

 

Ben just shrugged and Poe smiled softly, loving how his boyfriend could be cocky about insignificant things but too modest when it was truly mattering. 

 

“You were a true knight in shining armor.” said nonchalantly Poe and he heard Ben grumbling. 

“I’m done.” mumbled Ben, extricating himself from Poe’s embrace and trying to flee towards the bus but Poe caught his arm before he could. 

 

The young man chuckled front of the aversion his boyfriend had for fairytales and romantic cliché stuff. Poe pulled him against his own body and before Ben could protest, Poe kissed him, his hands going through Ben’s hair and the young man melt into Poe’s arms in second, letting Poe leading their kiss. When they broke apart for some air, they shared a look, full all the love they felt for each other and Ben was ready to take back Poe’s lips when they heard a cheerful hubbub coming from the bus. When they looked up, their students were at the windows, smiling like fools, some of them clapping, others shouting kiss advices for them and Ben threw to them a dark glance. Which would have definitely be more efficient if Poe didn’t burst in laugh just after. 

Ben shook his face with fake disapproval before he put an arm around Poe’s shoulders, pecking slightly his lips under the cheers of their students. With a smile against his lips, he felt relieved that Luke Skywalker didn’t win this battle. Poe was still the lovely dorky teacher adored by his students that Ben fell in love with. 

 

Both men finally climbed back into the bus and Poe took the seat next to the window. Their students were sit back properly but their teasing smiles were still on. Ben looked at them for few seconds. 

 

“Don’t tell to Director Phasma!” said Ben, throwing to them his best dark glance and he collected chuckles as answers. 

 

None of them could miss the sweet smile on his lips when he took place next to Poe, their hands naturally reuniting on Ben’s lap. 

**Author's Note:**

> My Tumblr: @midgardiannerd


End file.
